# HG changeset patch # User Richard M. Stallman # Date 982430932 0 # Node ID 41b70b041a5a776c1f381eb36cfa2d19d1b3d503 # Parent e30a5b375c97b08b7f6ca5255d8a6c84ae391571 Clean up and move index-searching recommendation. Other minor changes. diff -r e30a5b375c97 -r 41b70b041a5a man/help.texi --- a/man/help.texi Sat Feb 17 17:26:17 2001 +0000 +++ b/man/help.texi Sat Feb 17 17:28:52 2001 +0000 @@ -33,40 +33,42 @@ Most help buffers use a special major mode, Help mode, which lets you scroll conveniently with @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. It also offers -hyperlinks to more help on cross-referenced names, Info nodes, +hyperlinks to further help regarding cross-referenced names, Info nodes, customization buffers and the like. @xref{Help Mode}. @cindex searching documentation efficiently @cindex looking for a subject in documentation If you are looking for a certain feature, but don't know where exactly it is documented, and aren't even sure what is the name of the related -command or option, we recommend the following procedure: +command or option, we recommend these commands: @table @kbd @item C-h a @var{topic} @key{RET} -This searches for commands whose names match @var{topic}. @var{topic} -is a regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}). Browse the buffer popped up -by Emacs, to find what you are looking for. @xref{Apropos}. +This searches for commands whose names match @var{topic}, which should +be a regular expression (@pxref{Regexps}). Browse the buffer popped +up by Emacs, to find what you are looking for. @xref{Apropos}. @item M-x apropos @var{topic} @key{RET} This works like @kbd{C-h a}, but it also searches for user options and other variables, in case the feature you are looking for is controlled by an option, not a command. @xref{Apropos}. -@item C-h i m emacs @key{RET} i @var{topic} @key{RET} -This looks up @var{topic} in the indices of the Emacs on-line manual. -Press @key{,} repetitively until you find what you are looking for. - -@item C-h i m emacs @key{RET} s @var{topic} @key{RET} -This works like the previous command, but it searches for @var{topic} -(which can be a regular expression) in the @emph{text} of the manual -rather than in its indices. - @item M-x apropos-documentation @var{topic} @key{RET} This searches the @emph{documentation strings} (the built-in short descriptions) of all variables and functions (not their names) for a match for @var{topic}, a regular expression. @xref{Apropos}. +@item C-h i m emacs @key{RET} i @var{topic} @key{RET} +This looks up @var{topic} in the indices of the Emacs on-line manual. +There may be several matches, so displays the first one. You can then +press @key{,} to move to other matches, until you find what you are +looking for. + +@item C-h i m emacs @key{RET} s @var{topic} @key{RET} +Similar, but searches for @var{topic} (which can be a regular +expression) in the @emph{text} of the manual rather than in its +indices. + @item C-h F This brings up the Emacs FAQ, where you can use the usual search commands (@pxref{Search}) to find the information. @@ -252,11 +254,13 @@ around or before point, but only if that is the name of a known Lisp variable. @xref{Variables}.@refill -Help buffers describing variables or functions defined in Lisp normally -have hyperlinks to their definitions if you have the Lisp source files -installed. If you can read Lisp, this provides the ultimate -documentation. - + Help buffers describing variables or functions defined in Lisp +normally have hyperlinks to the Lisp definition, if you have the Lisp +source files installed. If you know Lisp, this provides the ultimate +documentation. If you don't know Lisp, you should learn it. If you +are treating Emacs as an object file, then you are just @emph{using} +Emacs. For real intimacy with Emacs, you must read the source code. + @node Apropos @section Apropos